U.S. patent number 9,684,368 [Application Number 14/885,257] was granted by the patent office on 2017-06-20 for event detection method for waking up a portable electronic device and action sensor using same.
This patent grant is currently assigned to RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION. The grantee listed for this patent is RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Chih-Yi Hsiao, Hung-Chi Huang, Lupu Liao, Ying-Che Lo, Chih-Hsien Wang.
United States Patent |
9,684,368 |
Huang , et al. |
June 20, 2017 |
Event detection method for waking up a portable electronic device
and action sensor using same
Abstract
The present invention discloses an event detection method for
waking up a portable electronic device and an action sensor using
same. The event detection method includes the steps of: under a
normal operation mode, sensing action events by the action sensor
with a first data sensing frequency, wherein the action sensor
operates by a normal current to detect the action events; entering
into a sleep mode; under the sleep mode, detecting a wake-up event
by the action sensor with a second data sensing frequency, wherein
the action sensor operates by a weak current to detect the wake-up
event, wherein the weak current is smaller than the normal current,
and the second data sensing frequency is not higher than the first
data sensing frequency; and returning to the normal operation mode
when the wake-up event is detected.
Inventors: |
Huang; Hung-Chi (New Taipei,
TW), Lo; Ying-Che (Tainan, TW), Wang;
Chih-Hsien (Taoyuan, TW), Hsiao; Chih-Yi
(Taoyuan, TW), Liao; Lupu (Taipei, TW) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION |
Chupei, HsinChu |
N/A |
TW |
|
|
Assignee: |
RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
(Chupei, Hsinchu, TW)
|
Family
ID: |
58523838 |
Appl.
No.: |
14/885,257 |
Filed: |
October 16, 2015 |
Prior Publication Data
|
|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20170108916 A1 |
Apr 20, 2017 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F
1/3287 (20130101); G06F 1/3296 (20130101); G06F
1/3206 (20130101); H04W 52/0254 (20130101); G06F
1/325 (20130101); H04W 52/0251 (20130101); Y02D
70/00 (20180101); Y02D 10/171 (20180101); Y02D
10/00 (20180101); Y02D 10/172 (20180101); Y02D
30/70 (20200801) |
Current International
Class: |
G06F
1/32 (20060101); H04W 52/02 (20090101) |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Wang; Albert
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Tung & Associates
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An event detection method for waking up a portable electronic
device having an action sensor, comprising the steps of: under a
normal operation mode, sensing action events by the action sensor
with a first data sensing frequency, wherein the action sensor
operates by a normal current to detect the action events; entering
into a sleep mode wherein at least one component of the portable
electronic device is not fully functioning to reduce power
consumption; under the sleep mode, detecting a wake-up event by the
action sensor with a second data sensing frequency, wherein the
action sensor operates by a weak current to detect the wake-up
event, wherein the weak current is smaller than the normal current,
and the second data sensing frequency is not higher than the first
data sensing frequency; wherein the action sensor is a capacitive
sensor sensing the action events and detecting the wake-up event
according to a change of capacitance, wherein a sensitivity of the
capacitive sensor is related to an operation current of the
capacitive sensor, and when the capacitive sensor operates by the
weak current, the sensitivity of the capacitive sensor is lower
than the sensitivity when the capacitive sensor operates by the
normal current; and returning to the normal operation mode when the
wake-up event is detected.
2. The event detection method of claim 1, wherein the weak current
is greater than zero and smaller than or equal to 50% of the normal
current.
3. The event detection method of claim 2, wherein the weak current
is 20%.about.40% of the normal current.
4. The event detection method of claim 1, wherein the step of
entering into a sleep mode is triggered manually or
automatically.
5. The event detection method of claim 1, wherein the first data
sensing frequency ranges between 80.about.120 Hz and the second
data sensing frequency ranges between 20.about.60 Hz.
6. An action sensor for use in a portable electronic device,
comprising: a clock circuit for providing a first data sensing
frequency under a normal operation mode and a second data sensing
frequency under a sleep mode, wherein the second data sensing
frequency is not higher than the first data sensing frequency, and
wherein in the sleep mode, at least one component of the portable
electronic device is not fully functioning to reduce power
consumption; a current generation circuit for supplying a normal
current under the normal operation mode and supplying a weak
current under the sleep mode, wherein the weak current is smaller
than the normal current; an event detection circuit coupled to the
clock circuit and the current generation circuit, for sensing
action events with the first data sensing frequency under the
normal operation mode and detecting a wake-up event with the second
data sensing frequency under the sleep mode, wherein the event
detection circuit operates by the normal current to detect the
action events under the normal operation mode, and wherein the
event detection circuit operates by the weak current to detect the
wake-up event under the sleep mode; and a sleep mode controller
coupled to the clock circuit and the current generation circuit,
for providing a mode switching signal to the clock circuit and to
the current generation circuit, to switch a data sensing frequency
of the clock circuit between the first and second data sensing
frequencies and to switch a current provided by the current
generation circuit between the normal current and the weak current;
wherein the action sensor generates an output signal for resuming
the portable electronic device to the normal operation mode when
the wake-up event is detected by the event detection circuit.
7. The action sensor of claim 6, wherein the weak current is
greater than zero and smaller than or equal to 50% of the normal
current.
8. The action sensor of claim 7, wherein the weak current is
20%.about.40% of the normal current.
9. The action sensor of claim 6, wherein the first data sensing
frequency ranges between 80.about.120 Hz and the second data
sensing frequency ranges between 20.about.60 Hz.
10. An action sensor for use in a portable electronic device,
comprising: a clock circuit for providing a first data sensing
frequency under a normal operation mode and a second data sensing
frequency under a sleep mode, wherein the second data sensing
frequency is not higher than the first data sensing frequency, and
wherein in the sleep mode, at least one component of the portable
electronic device is not fully functioning to reduce power
consumption; a current generation circuit for supplying a normal
current under the normal operation mode and supplying a weak
current under the sleep mode, wherein the weak current is smaller
than the normal current; and an event detection circuit coupled to
the clock circuit and the current generation circuit, for sensing
action events with the first data sensing frequency under the
normal operation mode and detecting a wake-up event with the second
data sensing frequency under the sleep mode, wherein the event
detection circuit operates by the normal current to detect the
action events under the normal operation mode, and wherein the
event detection circuit operates by the weak current to detect the
wake-up event under the sleep mode; wherein the action sensor is a
capacitive sensor sensing the action events and detecting the
wake-up event according to a change of capacitance; wherein a
sensitivity of the capacitive sensor is related to an operation
current of the capacitive sensor, and when the capacitive sensor
operates by the weak current, the sensitivity of the capacitive
sensor is lower than the sensitivity when the capacitive sensor
operates by the normal current; wherein the action sensor generates
an output signal for resuming the portable electronic device to the
normal operation mode when the wake-up event is detected by the
event detection circuit.
11. The action sensor of claim 10, wherein the weak current is
greater than zero and smaller than or equal to 50% of the normal
current.
12. The action sensor of claim 10, wherein the weak current is
20%-40% of the normal current.
13. The action sensor of claim 10, wherein the first data sensing
frequency ranges between 80.about.120 Hz and the second data
sensing frequency ranges between 20.about.60 Hz.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an event detection method for
waking up a portable electronic device and an action sensor using
same; particularly, it relates to such event detection method and
action sensor capable of accurately detecting a wake-up event when
the portable electronic device is in a sleep mode.
Description of Related Art
Please refer to FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, which show how the prior art
switches a portable electronic device from a sleep mode to a normal
operation mode and its drawback. When a portable electronic device
is power ON but has not been in use for a certain period of time,
typically, its power management system will shut down the
operations of at least some of its components to reduce power
consumption, which is the "sleep mode". In the "normal operation
mode" the portable electronic device operates normally, i.e., all
the components of the portable electronic device are in operation
or ready for operation. In the "sleep mode", one or more of the
components of the portable electronic device are not fully
functioning such that the power consumption is reduced.
Conventionally, in a portable electronic device having an action
sensor such as a capacitive touch sensor, an acceleration sensor, a
gyro-sensor or the like, the action sensor is shut down in the
sleep mode to reduce power consumption. Referring to FIG. 1A, in
the normal operation mode, the action sensor senses action events
with a data sensing frequency CLK1 (e.g., 100 Hz). During this
normal operation mode, the action sensor is supplied with a current
In (referring to as "normal current" hereinafter) which is
sufficient for the action sensor to fully function, so as to sense
action events with the best accuracy and resolution. When the
portable electronic device enters into the sleep mode, the action
sensor is shut down. However, a user may cause a certain wake-up
event to happen, such as tapping a screen of the portable
electronic device, in order to wake up the portable electronic
device to resume it from the sleep mode to the normal operation
mode. Therefore, although the action sensor is shut down, it should
not be completely disabled, and typically in the prior art, the
action sensor still senses action events but with a greatly reduced
data sensing frequency. For example, referring to FIG. 1A, in the
sleep mode, the action sensor detects whether there is a wake-up
event with a much lower data sensing frequency CLK0 (typically
about 1/100 of the data sensing frequency CLK1, e.g., 1 Hz). When a
wake-up event is detected under this much lower data sensing
frequency CLK0, the portable electronic device is resumed from the
sleep mode to the normal operation mode.
Referring to FIG. 1B, the drawback of the prior art is that there
is high possibility that the action sensor can not capture a
wake-up event during the sleep mode. Typically, a user's tapping
action is in a frequency range of about 10 Hz. With the low data
sensing frequency CLK0, it is very likely that the action sensor
will miss the tapping action, and as a result, the portable
electronic device will not resume from the sleep mode to the normal
operation mode.
In view of the above, to overcome the drawbacks in the prior art,
the present invention proposes an event detection method for waking
up a portable electronic device and an action sensor using the
same, wherein such event detection method and action sensor are
capable of accurately detecting a wake-up event when the portable
electronic device is in a sleep mode.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
From one perspective, the present invention provides an event
detection method for waking up a portable electronic device having
an action sensor, comprising the steps of: under a normal operation
mode, sensing action events by the action sensor with a first data
sensing frequency, wherein the action sensor operates by a normal
current to detect the action events; entering into a sleep mode
wherein at least one component of the portable electronic device is
not fully functioning to reduce power consumption; under the sleep
mode, detecting a wake-up event by the action sensor with a second
data sensing frequency, wherein the action sensor operates by a
weak current to detect the wake-up event, wherein the weak current
is smaller than the normal current, and the second data sensing
frequency is not higher than the first data sensing frequency; and
returning to the normal operation mode when the wake-up event is
detected.
From another perspective, the present invention provides an action
sensor for use in a portable electronic device, comprising: a clock
circuit for providing a first data sensing frequency under a normal
operation mode and a second data sensing frequency under a sleep
mode, wherein the second data sensing frequency is not higher than
the first data sensing frequency, and wherein in the sleep mode, at
least one component of the portable electronic device is not fully
functioning to reduce power consumption; a current generation
circuit for supplying a normal current under the normal operation
mode and supplying a weak current under the sleep mode, wherein the
weak current is smaller than the normal current; and an event
detection circuit coupled to the clock circuit and the current
generation circuit, for sensing action events with the first data
sensing frequency under the normal operation mode or detecting a
wake-up event with the second data sensing frequency under the
sleep mode, wherein the event detection circuit operates by the
normal current to detect the action events under the normal
operation mode, and wherein the event detection circuit operates by
the weak current to detect the wake-up event under the sleep mode;
wherein the action sensor generates an output signal for resuming
the portable electronic device to the normal operation mode when
the wake-up event is detected by the event detection circuit.
In one embodiment, the action sensor further comprises: a sleep
mode controller coupled to the clock circuit and the current
generation circuit, for providing a mode switching signal to the
clock circuit and to the current generation circuit, to switch a
data sensing frequency of the clock circuit between the first and
second data sensing frequencies and to switch a current provided by
the current generation circuit between the normal current and the
weak current.
In one embodiment, the weak current is greater than zero and
smaller than or equal to 50% of the normal current.
In the above-mentioned embodiment, the weak current is preferably
20%.about.40% of the normal current.
In one embodiment, the step of entering into a sleep mode is
triggered manually or automatically.
In one embodiment, the action sensor is a capacitive sensor sensing
the action events and detecting the wake-up event according to a
change of capacitance.
In one embodiment, a sensitivity of the capacitive sensor is
related to an operation current of the capacitive sensor, and when
the capacitive sensor operates by the weak current, the sensitivity
of the capacitive sensor is lower than the sensitivity when the
capacitive sensor operates by the normal current.
In one embodiment, the first data sensing frequency ranges between
80.about.120 Hz and the second data sensing frequency ranges
between 20.about.60 Hz.
The objectives, technical details, features, and effects of the
present invention will be better understood with regard to the
detailed description of the embodiments below, with reference to
the attached drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS. 1A-1B show how prior art switches a portable electronic
device from a sleep mode to a normal operation mode and its
drawback.
FIG. 2 shows how the present invention switches a portable
electronic device from a sleep mode to a normal operation mode.
FIG. 3 shows a flow chart of an event detection method according to
an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of an action sensor according to an
embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The above and other technical details, features and effects of the
present invention will be will be better understood with regard to
the detailed description of the embodiments below, with reference
to the drawings. The drawings as referred to throughout the
description of the present invention are for illustration only, to
show the interrelations between the components and devices, but not
drawn according to actual scale.
Please refer to FIGS. 2-4. FIG. 2 shows how the present invention
switches a portable electronic device from a sleep mode to a normal
operation mode. FIG. 3 shows a flow chart of an event detection
method according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4
shows a block diagram of an action sensor according to an
embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 4, a portable electronic device 100 includes an
action sensor 10. The portable electronic device 100 includes other
components such as a screen, a graphic controller, etc., which are
omitted because they are not relevant to the present invention. The
action sensor 10 senses action events in the normal operation mode
and detects a wake-up event in the sleep mode. In one embodiment,
the action sensor 10 is a capacitive sensor sensing the action
events and detecting the wake-up event according to a change of
capacitance. The action sensor 10 is for example a capacitive touch
sensor, an acceleration sensor, or a gyro-sensor.
The action sensor 10 of this embodiment comprises an event
detection circuit 11, a clock circuit 12 and a current generation
circuit 13. In one embodiment, the action sensor 10 further
comprises a sleep mode controller 14, coupled to the clock circuit
12 and the current generation circuit 13.
Please refer to FIG. 4 in conjugation with FIG. 2. In one
embodiment, the event detection circuit 11 is coupled to the clock
circuit 12 and the current generation circuit 13. The clock circuit
12 provides a data sensing frequency CLK1 in the normal operation
mode and a data sensing frequency CLK2 in the sleep mode, wherein
the data sensing frequency CLK2 is not higher than the data sensing
frequency CLK1 and preferably lower than the data sensing frequency
CLK1. The current generation circuit 13 supplies a normal current
In in the normal operation mode and a weak current Iw in the sleep
mode, wherein the weak current Iw is lower than the normal current
In. In one embodiment, whether the clock circuit 12 provides the
data sensing frequency CLK1 or the data sensing frequency CLK2, and
whether the current generation circuit 13 supplies the normal
current In or the weak current Iw are controlled by a mode
switching signal MS generated by the sleep mode controller 14. In
another embodiment, the sleep mode controller 14 can be omitted and
the frequency and current switching can be controlled by a circuit
in the portable electronic device 100, such as a micro-controller
unit already existing in the portable electronic device 100.
In one embodiment, the sleep mode controller 14 can be triggered
manually and/or automatically to generate the mode switching signal
MS, to switch the portable electronic device 100 from the normal
operation mode to the sleep mode. For example, a user can input a
command to switch the portable electronic device 100 to the sleep
mode. For another example, when a predetermined period of time has
passed and the portable electronic device 100 does not receive any
command from the user, the sleep mode controller 14 can be
triggered automatically to switch the portable electronic device
100 to the sleep mode. The same principle applies when the sleep
mode controller 14 is omitted.
Please refer to FIGS. 2-4. In the normal operation mode, the event
detection circuit 11 of the action sensor 10 senses action events
by the data sensing frequency CLK1. In one embodiment, the data
sensing frequency CLK1 can range between, for example but not
limited to, 80.about.120 Hz. The actual value of data sensing
frequency CLK1 can be set depending on practical needs. During this
normal operation mode, the event detection circuit 11 of this
embodiment is supplied with a normal current In so as to sense the
action events (as shown by the step S11 in FIG. 3). The normal
current In is sufficient for the event detection circuit 11 to
fully function, so as to sense action events with the best accuracy
and resolution. The actual value of normal current In can be set
depending on practical needs.
As shown by the steps S12 and S13 in FIG. 3 and as explained in the
above, manually or automatically, the portable electronic device
100 can be switched to the sleep mode. During the sleep mode, the
event detection circuit 11 is supplied with the weak current Iw,
and the event detection circuit 11 detects the occurrence of a
wake-up event with the data sensing frequency CLK2. The data
sensing frequency CLK2 is not higher than the data sensing
frequency CLK1. In one embodiment, the data sensing frequency CLK2
is the same as the data sensing frequency CLK1 (i.e., the data
sensing frequency CLK1 can be directly used as the data sensing
frequency CLK2). In another embodiment, to reduce power
consumption, the data sensing frequency CLK2 is preferably lower
than the data sensing frequency CLK1, more preferably lower than or
equal to 50% of but higher than a frequency of a human's action
which the action sensor 10 is designed to sense. In one embodiment,
the data sensing frequency CLK2 can range between, for example but
not limited to, 20.about.60 Hz.
Besides, note that, in this embodiment of the present invention,
the weak current Iw under the sleep mode is smaller than the normal
current In under the normal operation mode. In one embodiment, the
weak current Iw is set to be greater than zero and smaller than or
equal to 50% of the normal current In. In a more preferable
embodiment, the weak current Iw can be set to be for example but
not limited to 20%-40% of the normal current In, such as 25%.
Because the event detection circuit 11 (and hence the action sensor
10) operates by the weak current Iw, in a case that a sensitivity
of the event detection circuit 11 (and hence the action sensor 10)
is related to an operation current thereof, when the event
detection circuit 11 operates by the weak current Iw, the
sensitivity of the event detection circuit 11 is lower than the
sensitivity when the event detection circuit 11 operates by the
normal current In. However, this is alright because in the sleep
mode, the event detection circuit 11 is not required to sense
action events by a high accuracy and sensitivity; the event
detection circuit 11 is only required to capture a wake-up event
(the step S14). Action events may involve sophisticated behaviors
such as dragging an icon on a screen or sliding toward a direction,
etc. which need to be correctly interpreted; however, to switch the
portable electronic device 100 from the sleep mode to the normal
operation mode, it is only required to detect an occurrence of a
wake-up event, i.e., whether there is or is not a wake-up event,
and it is not required to read the wake-up action in detail.
Please refer to FIG. 2 in contrast with FIG. 1B. Note that, unlike
the prior art where the data sensing frequency CLK0 under the sleep
mode is set to be very slow (e.g., 1 Hz), the data sensing
frequency CLK2 of the present invention is greater than the data
sensing frequency CLK0 of the prior art. because this data sensing
frequency CLK2 is higher than a frequency of a human's action which
the action sensor 10 is designed to sense, it is much less likely
that the action sensor 10 misses a wake-up event; in contrast, the
prior art very likely misses the wake-up event.
In addition, although the present invention senses a wake-up event
by a higher data sensing frequency than the prior art, because the
action sensor 10 operates by the weak current Iw in the sleep mode
(in comparison, the prior art operates by the normal current In in
the sleep mode), the present invention still greatly reduces power
consumption in the sleep mode. More importantly, in comparison with
the prior art, the present invention can correctly capture a
wake-up event without miss.
The present invention has been described in considerable detail
with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof. It should
be understood that the description is for illustrative purpose, not
for limiting the scope of the present invention. An embodiment or a
claim of the present invention does not need to achieve all the
objectives or advantages of the present invention. The title and
abstract are provided for assisting searches but not for limiting
the scope of the present invention. Those skilled in this art can
readily conceive variations and modifications within the spirit of
the present invention. In view of the foregoing, the spirit of the
present invention should cover all such and other modifications and
variations, which should be interpreted to fall within the scope of
the following claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *